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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27718901">twice in a lifetime</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfiesiyeon/pseuds/wolfiesiyeon'>wolfiesiyeon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Character Death, F/F, Falling In Love, Minor Violence, Sacrifice, Soulmates, Zombie Apocalypse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:22:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,417</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27718901</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfiesiyeon/pseuds/wolfiesiyeon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In a spilt second, life as you know it can drastically change.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Bora | SuA/Kim Minji | JiU, Kim Bora | SuA/Kim Yoohyeon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>113</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>twice in a lifetime</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hellloooo! first of all I just want to clarify that there are some graphic and emotional scenes in this fic so if you don't like sadness involving the girls and minor violence please don't read! I would hate for anyone to feel uncomfortable.<br/>this was really fun to write and I thoroughly enjoyed it, its probably the longest one shot I've written to date hehe.<br/>anywayyy I hope you enjoy reading, feedback is always greatly appreciated :) and I hope everyone has a lovely day/night etc!</p><p>(also! where I have indicated asterisks like this ***, I recommend listening to a song named 'saturn - sleeping at last' but of course you don't have to!)<br/>enjoy !!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A glass beaker shattered upon the tiled flooring, shards scattering across the length of the laboratory.<br/>“What have you done?” A scientist questioned her colleague, her voice dripping with fear as she took a few steps away from the patient that was sitting in a surgical chair in the middle of the room. The patient's face had distorted within just a few seconds of the injection, blue veins invading his otherwise pale skin.<br/>The other scientist, the one who had allowed the <em>parasite</em> to explore a new, healthy host, cursed quietly under his breath. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his fingers shaking as he held the nimble vaccination between them. He’d fucked up. Big time.<br/>The patient went limp in the chair, his head rolling to one side before he started to pulsate, to twitch, gradually at first until it progressed violently. He had seemed to spark back to life, a new hostile energy flourishing inside of him as he leaped suddenly out of the chair.<br/>“Shit.”<br/>He ran towards the stunned scientists, his aim clear.<br/>He wanted to spread the parasite that was eating away at its newly acquired body.<br/>4:08am.</p><p>-</p><p>The winter air was frosty against Yoohyeon’s exposed skin as it brushed past her, coating her in a collective coldness. The wind would’ve made an audible sound within her eardrums if she hadn’t been so consumed in her music, the different melodies enticing her brain through her headphones. Fingerless gloves laced her hands, keeping the majority of them warm, just her fingertips that remained neutral. She held her phone in both of her hands, one atop of the other as she rested them in her lap, aimlessly scrolling through her social media with one quick thumb. Every so often, her leg would repeatedly bounce up and down, a habit, one that momentarily jolted the phone screen in her hands.<br/>The girl didn’t usually enjoy travelling alone, coming to places without the company of another. She wasn’t sure if, right now, she was anxious or… just trying to keep a regulated body temperature by bouncing her leg so rapidly.<br/>The tip of her nose felt icy as she exhaled softly through her nostrils, her eyes darting to the message that popped up on her device.</p><p><br/>(7:42) Siyeon:<br/>We could always go to the beach or something when you get here...</p><p>Yoohyeon’s lips unconsciously upturned as she read the reply to her previously sent question. She immediately clicked on the notification, a new tab opening as she began to type out a response to her best friend. But before she could do so, Siyeon sent another.</p><p><br/>(7:43) Siyeon:<br/>Nvm I just realised it's like... minus 200 degrees.</p><p>Only <em>slightly</em> dramatic, but well acknowledged nonetheless.</p><p>(7:45) Yoohyeon:<br/>Oh yeah, the beach… smart decision, big brain. I’ll go buy a bikini too while I wait for the train to arrive.</p><p>She chuckled to herself, <em>at</em> herself.</p><p><br/>(7:46) Siyeon:<br/>Hot!! :P buy one for me too.</p><p>Yoohyeon couldn’t help but grin widely at their interaction as she diverted her attention upwards, across the train tracks to the platform on the other side. An empty grey bench was cemented to the floor opposite her, identically mirroring the platform and the seating she was currently occupying. Except it wasn’t quite symmetrical, no one else was sitting on the other bench. In fact, no one else was in sight. It was like a ghost town, deserted, abandoned. Yoohyeon was starting to convince herself that she was the only person alive at this hour of the morning. 7:48am.<br/>It wasn’t even <em>that</em> early. Weird.<br/>Her phone buzzed again, presumably another message from Siyeon but when her gaze lowered, it was the local news, a newsflash baring red text. Yoohyeon frowned, she had any unimportant notifications on silent, why would this one come through? She swiped off the alert without a second thought, tucking a stray strand of her black hair behind her exposed ear, a strand that must've escaped the harsh imprisonment of her plaits.</p><p><br/>She released a long breath through her parted lips, one that turned into a cloud of transparent mist as it collided with the cooler atmosphere. She couldn’t wait to reunite with her friend after a few long months, it was the driving force behind her motivation during the past few days.<br/>Her attention diverted as she stared down the tracks, long into the distance, as though trying to make out any signs of an oncoming train. The one she needed to board specifically. It was overdue, supposed to arrive at her platform by 7:37am. Just over ten minutes ago.<br/>If it wasn’t for her music, the world around her would be quiet, still. Not a single thing other than herself in the area to be moving. She was thankful for the quiet beat that entertained her mind, the atmosphere would be otherwise pretty eerie. Another alert caused Yoohyeon to avert her eyes back towards her phone screen. This time she managed to pick up a word from the article’s headline; ‘<strong><em><span class="u">VIRUS</span></em></strong>.’<br/>She briefly furrowed her eyebrows while unlocking her phone, dismissing the newsflash once again with a hurried finger and instead, shooting her friend a quick message.</p><p>(7:51) Yoohyeon:<br/>Gonna save my phone battery, text you when I’m finally on route.</p><p>She locked her phone and leaned back against the bench, shoving her intertwined hands between her knees and squeezing against them, impatiently waiting for her transport to arrive. Her eyes were glued to the train tracks as Siyeon replied to her message. She missed the response.</p><p>(7:52) Siyeon:<br/>Don’t die from the cold! See you soon!!</p><p>-</p><p>“Something beginning with… B.” A boy wearing an all black outfit and a perfectly fitted snapback yelled across the carriage to his group. He was standing up, clearly the centre of attention for a moment, one hand harshly gripping the slight velvet-feeling seat and the other, flailing around as he spoke.<br/>“Uh… backpack!” The girl sitting next to him replied spontaneously, pointing to someone’s bag that had been seemingly tossed under a seat, careless.<br/>The boy shook his head.<br/>Bora advanced from another carriage, the automatic doors closing behind her as she bundled up all of her blonde hair in her hands, releasing her grip when it flowed over her shoulders. She moved closer to the rest of her dance group, one eyebrow arching as a fellow teammate yelled out her name.<br/>“Bora!”<br/>“Close… but not quite.” The boy laughed.</p><p><br/>Bora hummed as she scooted past her best friend, Minji, and resumed her seat at the window.<br/>“Still playing?” Her voice immediately captured the raven haired girl's interest and she smiled brightly.<br/>“Yeah,” she dropped the pen that she held between her fingers, “I wasn’t paying attention though.” She had been doodling, sketching into the back of a receipt for some snacks the team had bought earlier this morning at the station. Bora’s gaze dropped from Minji’s features to the small piece of paper.<br/>“Is that me?”<br/>“Uhm… yeah.” The girl blushed slightly, her cheeks tinting pink, “I was concentrating on getting your nose right.” Bora noted the familiar features that Minji had etched into the receipt, it was no doubt her own side profile. A smile entranced her lips at the drawing.<br/>“Am I your muse now?” She joked, watching Minji’s blush only deepen at her words.<br/>The older one shrugged. “Always have been.”<br/>Their eyes locked and Bora was the first to break the intensity, dismissing the situation with a loud laugh and light slap on the other one's arm. Minji chuckled along with her, the laughter infectious but the moment falling frigid. When the laughter surpassed, Minji silently pushed the receipt over to Bora’s section of their seating arrangement, implying that it was hers if she wanted it. The small ones' expressions lit up and she pocketed the piece of scrap paper.<br/>“You know... I’m trying to distract myself.” Minji confessed quietly after a moment.<br/>“From what?”<br/>The raven head hummed lightly. “The stress of this dance competition.”<br/>Bora only arched an eyebrow. “Seriously?” Her lips tugged into a side-smile, “you? Stressed?”<br/>“Well, just a little.”<br/>“Minji, you’re like the best dancer I’ve ever seen.” The blonde admitted genuinely, “you <em>never</em> miss a step.”<br/>The older one blushed slightly with her words... once again.<br/>“Don’t stress yourself out, we’re all gonna kill it.”<br/>Instead of replying verbally, Minji’s features warmed with a pleasant grin, her eyes glistening and affectionate in their gaze.</p><p><br/>“Bitch!” A different boy shouted all of a sudden, shooting up in his seat like it was made of fire.<br/>“Correct!” The boy wearing a snapback clapped once, his lips curling into a smirk as his eyes landed on an orange haired girl sitting close to him.<br/>“Oh, <em>so</em> kind Vernon.” The girl raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest.<br/>He laughed at the reaction. “I’m kidding, you know I love you Dongie.”<br/>She rolled her eyes in annoyance but the grin on her lips suggested she felt otherwise.<br/>“Want one?” Minji offered Bora a small chocolate bite from the bag resting beside her once their laughter had surpassed. She arched an eyebrow, slightly pouting with intrigue as Bora studied the chocolate between her fingers. She nodded, opening her mouth for Minji and smiling simultaneously with her eyes. The oldest chuckled and gently popped the food into her friend's mouth, waiting for Bora to begin chewing before her eyes glistened with admiration. Her smile was like the sun on a warm day, the giggle that left her throat even sweeter than the chocolate Bora was tasting.<br/>Minji was just… warm; home personified.<br/>The small blonde girl placed a hand over her mouth, momentarily shielding the older one's view as she spoke. “Nice!” She reiterated, clapping softly once her lips were sealed again.<br/>“You’re cute.” Minji beamed when Bora displayed a thumbs up; sending a wink alongside the gesture to compliment.</p><p>While the two friends were engaged in conversation, a passenger walked down the aisle of the carriage, trailing a small suitcase behind himself - he looked like a business manager of some sort. As he moved slowly, he scrolled leisurely through his phone, not paying attention to where he was stepping. The man was most likely on route to an important business conference, how very typical to observe on an early morning train. Once in more of an open space, the man took a seat on an empty section of the train, clipping down the handle to the suitcase and instead, hoisting his luggage onto the free seat beside him at the window, all the while his eyes unmoving from his device. He tucked his leg under the other, clicking an option upon his phone before raising it to his right ear and pressing one hand over his eyes; he seemed stressed.<br/>“Hey babe…” His voice was almost lost in the chaos of the train, the tracks ever-moving beneath him, people talking nearby him. He sighed, probably at the response he had received on the other end of the call.<br/>“No, not yet. I need to double check.”<br/>He groaned, stretching his feet out in front of him, into the aisle.<br/>“I will. It’s next on my list, I promise.”</p><p><br/>A child wearing a fluorescent yellow raincoat sped out in front of the neatly dressed business man, almost tripping over the man’s legs if it hadn’t been for his quick mother walking behind him.<br/>“Woaaaah, careful buddy.” The mother chuckled, grabbing her son’s wrist and maneuvering him around the man in a swift movement.<br/>The business man retracted his outstretched legs immediately, muttering a quick apology to the child before flashing a bright smile at both the boy and the mother. “I haven’t forgotten.” The man continued on the phone despite the collision.<br/>The woman returned the polite gesture, carefully releasing the smaller toddlers wrist and allowing him to walk freely a few steps ahead of her again. She watched him closely, her protective nature adamant as she was worried her son might trip over his own excitable feet. He seemed to wobble, stumble slightly with each step but he was doing great nevertheless - his mother was admiring him with a wide grin spread across her lips. Once they reached their assigned seats, the mother quickly sat down, scooping the tiny toddler into her arms. “Oh good boy!” She praised him, holding him close to her hip as she scanned his baby face. She bounced him gently against her, watching as he let out a pleasant smile.<br/>“Grandma is so excited to see you!” Her gaze sparkled under the faint light of the train. “Are you excited too?”<br/>The young boy hesitated for a moment, only to nod hard afterwards, earning a genuine laugh from his mother.</p><p><br/>In the seats behind, a couple were sitting together, the girls head resting against her boyfriends as the pair of them trained their gazes to the moving world outside, through the window.<br/>“You really think they’ll like me?” The boy played nervously with his hands, occasionally rubbing his palms upon his black jeans to ease his nerves.<br/>“Of course. My dad loved you when you spoke on the phone.” The girl intertwined her fingers with one of his anxious hands, rubbing her thumb along his skin in reassurance. “Please stop worrying.”<br/>With his free one, the ginger haired boy ran a hand through his curly locks, pushing them away from his forehead before calmly resting his cheek against the side of his girlfriend’s head. She softly kissed the back of his hand.<br/>“Alright.” He sighed.</p><p>“I can’t believe you thought it was three times!” Bora couldn’t hold back her laughter as she repeatedly slapped Minji on her shoulder. The taller one's face flushed a little but she joined in on the giddiness regardless, shaking her head as she attempted to calm herself of the hysterics.<br/>“N-No, it was because-”<br/>‘<strong><em>Attention all passengers.’</em></strong> A masculine voice rang out through the speakers overhead, cutting everyone dead mid-sentence. The train collectively fell silent to listen to the announcement. ‘<strong><em>We’re being informed that there is a delay</em></strong>.’<br/>Bora raised her eyebrows, her eyes flicking to the dance captain sitting beside her who squinted hers as she listened to the proclamation.<br/>‘<strong><em>Don’t be alarmed but there is someone on the tracks. We will be stopping shortly at the next station and we will resume our journey when it is safe to do so.</em></strong>’<br/>Minji cursed almost inaudibly under her breath.<br/>‘<strong><em>Please leave the train when instructed to. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this delay may have caused.</em></strong>’<br/>With that, the speakers cut off again.<br/>Minji rested her head against the back of her seat, momentarily shutting her eyes as she exhaled.<br/>“Well this is a nuisance.”<br/>Bora hummed lowly in agreement. “What time is the competition starting?” She asked, needing a brief reminder.<br/>“We have four hours,” Minji responded, “but I just hope this won’t affect us too much.”<br/>The other dance members groaned slightly upon hearing the announcement, the majority of them irritated by the delay.<br/>“It’ll be fine.” Bora sighed, catching onto the collective deflation of the carriage and instead, speaking with optimism.<br/>“I know.” Minji smiled in reply, “good job we got the earlier train, right?” Her grin grew as Bora nodded instantly.<br/>“Right, we should all thank you for that one.”<br/>“I need everyone to apologise for the complaints.”<br/>“I don’t have <em>anything</em> to apologise for.” Bora shot back, a smug grin painting her lips.<br/>“Oh sure, miss ‘I can’t get out of bed that early can we go a few hours later?’” The older one mimicked, only for Bora to roll her eyes hard and gently shove the taller one against her seat.<br/>Minji chuckled.</p><p><br/>Civilians at the front of the carriage began to rise from their seats, instructed to do so by a stewardess that was making her way down the aisle slowly, addressing people individually. The train began to slow, people visibly swaying and bobbing in their positions with the abrupt change of pace. Finally the engine died completely, the train stopping statically at some station just as the young woman reached the group of dancers occupying the back of the carriage.<br/>“May I please ask you all to leave through the doors to your left.” The stewardess held out an outstretched hand, pointing in the direction of the automatic train doors. A brief but polite smile graced her lips as she locked eyes with Minji. The group collectively nodded, wordless with their reply as the nine members each rose from their seats in their own time. Minji turned to Bora, instinctively reaching to hold the smaller one's hand as she weaved her way out of the somewhat claustrophobic seating. Bora followed suit, guided by the raven head. Each passenger unhurriedly began to exit the train, reluctantly leaving their luggage behind.<br/>“Why do we have to exit?” One man asked the stewardess who was now standing by the train doors, holding a clipboard in her arms. “Can’t we just stay aboard?” His question was genuine, his tone curious as his eyebrows knitted together.<br/>“Standard procedure.” The woman commented, “possible train changes may occur depending on the extremity of the situation.” She elaborated lightly. At this, the man only nodded in understanding, stepping off the train and shoving his hands into the pockets of his cashmere coat. This didn’t really make much sense but, it was best just to do what they were told.</p><p><br/>“God I didn’t realise how cold it actually is.” Bora immediately sunk into her own shoulders as a shiver travelled down her spine. She rubbed at the exposed skin upon her forearm with her free hand. Minji stopped shortly beside a bench, facing the transport as she took a seat upon the old wooden structure, releasing her hold upon her best friend's smaller hand. Bora huddled close to the older one on the bench, forcing her hands between her own thighs to keep them warm.<br/>Minji looked up at Vernon who was standing with the rest of the dance group in front of them. “We’re gonna go get something from the vending machine inside, you girls want anything?”<br/>The raven haired girl averted her gaze to Bora who shook her head politely in response, looping one arm around Minji’s and sitting closer. “No thank you, I’m good.”<br/>“Me too.” The dance captain responded.<br/>“Cool.” Vernon nodded, “be back in a bit.” The other seven members left in a flock, each hollering loudly and laughing amongst themselves. They were careless, the stereotypical image of what a group of young adults appeared like. But they were great company, beautiful souls; each one of them.<br/>“You’re really cold.” Minji placed one of her larger hands upon Bora’s thigh, slightly caressing it with her thumb. Bora unravelled her arm from around the taller ones and gulped lightly, her heart doing… some unusual thing as she laughed almost nervously, nodding close to Minji’s shoulder.<br/>“Do you want my jacket?”<br/>Bora immediately shook her head.<br/>“Then you’ll get cold.” She replied quickly.<br/>“That wasn’t an answer.”<br/>“Then my answer is no. Because you’ll be cold.”<br/>“Bora, don’t be stubborn.” Minji laughed, noticing the way the small one was trembling beside her with the bitterness, “you’re literally wearing one layer, I have three.” She detached her grip from Bora as she removed her black jacket from around her body, placing it over her friend's shoulders instead. “I’m not letting you get sick.”<br/>Bora didn’t try and fight Minji this time, she simply allowed the older one to place the warmth around her, content when she already felt a shift in her temperature. She was thankful for a persistent friend like Minji, someone who always looked out for her, had her back when she didn’t even have her own.<br/>“Thank you.” Bora smiled shyly, pulling her arms through the baggier sleeves of the jacket before wrapping it around herself to trap the heat inside. It was evidently a longer length upon her frame, but that made it cosier for the smallest. It even smelled sweet like Minji herself. Bora enjoyed her scent.<br/>“Cute.” The oldest girl brought the blonde out of her thoughts. Bora scrunched her nose up at the comment.<br/>“Stop calling me that.”<br/>“Why?!” Minji raised an eyebrow, turning her body to face the younger one, “you are.”<br/>Bora shook her head, the oversized jacket appearing to drown her. “You’re annoying.” She retaliated, her tone playful.<br/>“Ouch.” The dance captain rolled her eyes. “Just say you love me already.” She joked.<br/>“In your dreams.”<br/>The older one laughed alongside Bora, although her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. They didn’t quite turn to crescent moons, the beautiful pool of chocolate was trained downwards instead, masked with a hint of disappointment as she stared at her shoes.<br/>“Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?” Minji suddenly asked. She watched the stewardess run through the interior of the train through the glass window. The dancer frowned.<br/>“No.” Bora replied without hesitation, gently swinging her legs back and forth on the bench. “Do you?”<br/>The other girl turned her head, tilted like a confused puppy. Her voice was distant.<br/>“I don’t know…”<br/>7:21am.</p><p><br/>A sudden gust of wind brushed through Bora’s hair from behind, pushing her locks messily to the front of her face. One strand caught on her lower lip and she immediately swiped it away with two agitated fingers.<br/>“I used to,” Minji continued, ignoring the powerful wind that just attacked her from behind, “but I’m not sure if I do anymore. It’s flawed.”<br/>The smaller one hummed lowly in agreement.<br/>“I just think that-”<br/>A high pitched scream caused the conversation to immediately fall silent. Both girls, and most other passengers around the pair jumped at the interruption, whipping their heads in the direction of the station behind them. Quietness laced their tongues as their eyes searched for any signs of trouble, disruption… anything out of the ordinary. The scream had most definitely not been one of pleasure, a light-hearted squeal. No. It was a scream from a horror movie, one that reflected bloody murder. It instantaneously sent a chill down Bora’s spine, one more powerful than the bitter winter air had managed to achieve.<br/>The two girls froze, any words falling dead in their mouths as they waited for some kind of exposition.<br/>“What was that?” A man asked, turning his attention to those around him as though they had anymore knowledge on the situation. People shrugged, others with their eyebrows furrowed, and a rare few uninterested in the disruption at all.<br/>Then out from seemingly nowhere, an older woman, maybe in her early fifties, ran out from the wide station building. She was heading towards the rest of the passengers waiting to reboard the train. Her face was pale, almost camouflaged against the sheer whiteness of her hair, appearing as though she had just seen a ghost yet her legs carried her with ease as she neared the transport. Her eyes were wide with terror, and Bora couldn’t be too sure but she thought she saw her lips tremble, gradually turning a pale blue shade as she entered into the muted sunlight.<br/>The two girls occupying the bench together could hear her heavy breathing as she bypassed the passengers through the middle and finally stopped outside of the train doors. She screamed, deeper this time, like she was releasing a loud, fearful breath. She raised both hands and immediately started banging repeatedly upon the train, the transparent windows specifically.<br/>“Let me in!” She screamed, the sound sending another harsher chill down the small dancer's spine as she momentarily faced Minji, panic dilating her pupils. Minji’s eyes were glued to the scene however, scanning the woman as she noticed a pool of crimson coating her right arm, seeping through the cool denim of her jacket. Blood.<br/>The closer Minji looked, the more she could see the damage that had been done to the lady’s arm; it was as though someone had decided to take a chunk out of it. What the fuck had happened to her?</p><p><br/>Protectively and upon instinct, the raven haired girl placed a strong arm over Bora’s body, fingers lightly gripping the side of her left thigh.<br/>“They’re chasing me!” The woman shouted again, smashing her fists into the transport without any sort of remorse. She seemed crazy, her knuckles close to cracking from the consistent pounding, the brutal impact the aluminium was making upon her hands. Minji grimaced in discomfort as she watched.<br/>“There’s monsters!” She seemed to weep helplessly, the banging gradually stopping and she rested her entire body flat against the train doors as though she was about to melt into the surface. She shook her head, tears streaming down her face as the other passengers stared at her in disbelief, in shock. No-one knew what to do, not even the train staff. The stewardess onboard had her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she watched the unusual encounter unfold. The doors remained locked.<br/>Bora wanted to say something, her lips parted but a firm squeeze upon her thigh pulled her quickly from her thoughts. Minji had jumped at the sudden grip of her shoulder, a tough hand. Her head whipped in the direction of where the mysterious person was standing, slightly behind her.<br/>“Guys…” It was Handong, “you have to leave…”<br/>The familiar face that both girls recognised oh too well was exceedingly washed out, pale like a sheet of paper. They almost simultaneously did a double take at her appearance. Miniscule purple veins were prominent in her face, stretching up from her neck like she had been injected with some kind of vibrant colouring. Minji’s heart knocked hard against her ribcage. There were splatters of fresh blood painting Handong’s white dance jersey.<br/>And there was a deadness behind the orange haired girl's eyes, an unexplainable one, she didn’t seem to be looking at either Minji or Bora, her trajectory uncertain. Her speech had been slow, slightly strained as the words of warning had left her cyanic lips. The dance captain gulped dryly.<br/>An unusual, almost animalistic sound then escaped from Handong’s throat. Heavier breathing, whiter eyes. Her head was lolling on her own neck, weak against the bone that held it up. What the fuck.<br/>It all happened too fast.</p><p><br/>“Get on the fucking train!” A masculine voice yelled in horror, causing chaos to erupt in an instant. People were screaming, people were running, people were fighting others. It was a shitshow.<br/>There was a group of them… whatever these <em>things</em> were, whatever Handong was turning into, running from the station into the open, mercilessly tackling innocent passengers to the ground and biting them like they were savages, cannibals even.<br/>Minji leaped up from the bench, her brain kicking in as her fight or flight took control of her body. She grabbed Bora’s wrist, the smaller one standing shakily to her feet. Her eyes had averted back to the older woman nearest to the train, watching as the stewardess had opened the doors only to be dragged out by the other - her teeth plunging into her neck. There was screaming, and a lot of it. But all that Bora could hear was her irregulated breathing, her heart pounding in her throat, every other sound seeming to morph into static noise; even Minji’s dialogue. Finally it cleared, her brain eventually processing what was happening.<br/>“Please! Take my baby!” A woman shouted towards a suited businessman as her neck was brutally ripped into by one of those <em>monsters</em>. The small child, who wore a shiny yellow raincoat, burst into tears, wailing hysterically and repeatedly screaming “mama” when the stranger picked him up and rushed towards the train, his features contorting with fright. The woman was buried in seconds by a wave of hungry bodies.<br/>“Quick!” A young couple sprinted swiftly hand-in-hand towards the furthest train doors, boarding it seemingly without any issues.<br/>An older man also tried to dissipate from the crowd but his limp slowed him down, ultimately resulting in his downfall, being one of the first to be tackled to the ground by the blood-thirsty creatures.<br/>The small girl’s body was thankfully knocked into gear when her friend managed to capture her attention.</p><p><br/>“Bora!” Minji pulled the smaller one into her body, wrapping one strong arm around her waist as she dragged the pair of them to the nearest entrance on the train. Bora almost stumbled at the rapid exertion but her feet caught up with themselves as she ran with Minji towards the doors. People were pulling each other onboard, falling over one another, ushering for others to hurry up, shouting at the driver to restart the engine and go - even though there were still stragglers remaining. It was a free-for-all in just a matter of seconds.<br/>Bora and Minji reached the train doors in no time, just as many others did, all pushing and shoving to get to safety first - selfless in this current situation.<br/>Minji gently released her grip around Bora’s stomach, instead pushing the girl in front of her but keeping her hands faintly secured onto her waist. She wasn’t light with her pushing either, she was ensuring that the smaller one made it onboard first, leading from behind.<br/>Bora set foot on the tough platform, feeling other civilians roughly but unintentionally, barge against her shoulders. She was being shoved by them against her will, further into the train. Claustrophobic.<br/>And that’s when she realised Minji’s hands were no longer on her waist.<br/>A sudden surge of panic struck as she spun on her heels, so fast she almost lost balance completely. Her eyes darted through the frame of the doors, bypassing the taller figures that obscured her view. Her heart began to pound, her fingers trembling as she pushed against the overwhelming current heading in her direction and returned to the doors once more. Every head that entered the carriage was foreign. Was not Minji. Where the hell was she?<br/>Bora reached the exit again, the amount of civilians frantically boarding the train seeming to have calmed down ever so slightly. Minji! There she was, pushed to the back, still fighting her way to get on.<br/>The small girl almost breathed a sigh of relief… almost. That was, until she spotted the herd of monsters inches from the transport. They were very nearly within reach. Within reach of her friend.<br/>Bora almost choked on her sharp intake of breath.<br/>“Minji!” She shouted as loud as she could, jumping with force so the girl could make out her figure over the rest. Their eyes locked, afraid gazes holding one another's as Bora gestured with her hands for the older one to reach out to her. Minji did so, their fingers <em>so</em> close to touching, so close to brushing, so close to intertwining and neither of them ever letting go.</p><p><br/>So close…</p><p>yet so far.</p><p><br/>A hurried man barged between them, the dancer missing a step and stumbling over her own feet as she was knocked a few paces backwards. A <em>fatal</em> few paces.<br/>The world seemed to slow, everything unraveling in slow motion as Bora’s heart fell to her stomach. Before her very own eyes, she watched her best friend fall against her other dance member, Handong. Except, it wasn’t really Handong at all. Not anymore.<br/>The orange haired girl seemed to break her fall, unwillingly catching her heavy body but… she sunk her teeth into Minji’s neck. Terrified chocolate eyes never left Bora’s as more of those creatures reached her, mounting her with no sorrow.<br/>“<em>Bora!</em>” The girl cried out desperately, fear and pain lacing in her tone. The blonde girl choked immediately, tears brewing in her eyes, blurring her vision.<br/>“<em>Minji</em>.” She barely whispered, her throat deceiving her completely.<br/>She was going to step off, about to exit the train, run to Minji and allow those things to take her too when someone yanked her back, pulling her away from the outside just as the train doors closed and those things bashed helplessly against the aluminium material. The rest of the passengers were safe but at what cost?<br/>Bora didn’t know whether she was breathing, she couldn’t tell if her heart was beating. She couldn’t feel herself standing, no feeling in any of her limbs, <em>numb</em> as full teardrops spilled down her cheeks. Hell, she didn’t even realise that the train had set off again. She felt empty, an indescribable emotion filling her heart yet all warmness had simultaneously been sucked out of her. Minji.<br/>Minji was gone.<br/>A loud sob finally escaped her lips, her lungs overflowing with air all of a sudden as she let out all of her sudden heartbreak. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. She felt cold. Vacant.<br/>If she’d held onto Minji’s hand as they boarded the train, Minji would still be alive right now. <em>Alive</em>.<br/>They’d still be together.<br/>7:53am.</p><p><br/>Bora didn’t remember sitting upon the velvet seats, her brain distant as she curled in upon herself, hugging her knees close to her chest and swaying slightly forwards and backwards. She was trying to calm herself down, trying to rock herself back to some sort of sanity. Sanity that had just slipped away from her. Every part of her was shaking violently.<br/>She sniffed occasionally, sucking up the emotion threatening to spill from her nostrils as floods of it fell from her exhausted eyes.<br/>Her blurred vision was trained upon the empty table in front of her.<br/>“What the fuck was that?” A masculine voice wavered with the question, pulling many civilians from their collective trance of disbelief.<br/>“A virus,” Bora heard another man reply, his voice slightly calmer than the other, “it’s all over the news man, spreading like fucking wild-fire.” He paused, only to swallow dryly.<br/>Other than his voice and the prodigious sound of the train travelling along the rustic tracks, silence was the only factor that engulfed the group of passengers. A tense one at that, uncertain.<br/>“If one of those things bites you, you’re as good as dead.”<br/>The vivid image of Handong biting down into Minji flashed into Bora’s brain.<br/>“Turned into one of those brainless fuckers… like zombies.”<br/>Bora almost choked on another sob that got trapped in her throat. <span class="u">Brainless</span>? Minji was the most intelligent girl Bora had ever met, her mind was special, she was special.<br/>The pair would always stay up after parties together, philosophising about life, about their future, laughing and making fun of one another. It was always fun, always filled with so much affection.<br/>Minji loved stars, she loved the universe. The moon, the different planets, astrology. She believed there was always something more powerful out there than human beings. An energy, an <em>idea</em>. An idea that life carried on regardless of what happened, and it would only continue to be filled with many unexpected gifts.</p><p><br/><em>“I’ve always been kinda emotional when it came to stars.” Minji avoided gazes with Bora as the pair lay down on the rooftop together. The party was gradually dying down downstairs but neither girl cared. They only cared about one another at that moment.</em><br/><em>Bora flickered her gaze to the raven haired one, who was staring with fascination into the dark sky, admiring the small orbs that illuminated the otherwise black palette. The younger one scanned the girl's features, Minji’s eyes appearing almost glassy with her next words.</em><br/><em>“My mother used to say that whenever you see a bright star, it’s someone who has passed away looking down and saying hi to you.” Minji whispered, slowly turning to lock eyes with Bora and smiling sadly, “I still believe that.”</em><br/>Bora broke down. The world outside seemed deadened, the Earth’s saturation dropped drastically.<br/>She was heartbroken. Not even half of a human at that moment.<br/>And then, the train seemed to slow.</p><p>Yoohyeon hummed to herself, briefly checking her phone. 8:01am. Where was this damn train? There were no platform updates, no messages, no signs of a noted delay. This was strange. The dark haired girl was beginning to doubt herself. Was she sure she’d planned to catch the correct train?<br/>Her leg began to bounce anxiously up and down once again, the cold weather also not easing the situation. Whatever was happening, the train needed to hurry. She was excited to see Siyeon.<br/>Another tune snaked into her ears, blocking out any disruptions from the world around her. This was how she preferred to enjoy life, with music accompanying her in almost every situation. Music helped soothe any nerves she had, helped boost her serotonin levels simultaneously. She couldn’t live without music.<br/>A flash of black passing in front of her suddenly caught her attention. It was quick, a split second and for a moment Yoohyeon thought she was seeing things, hallucinating, her eyes playing tricks on her because she wasn’t wearing her glasses. But as she diverted her attention upwards, she realised that a man had ran past her, sprinting in the direction of the exit to the station. Her eyebrows immediately knitted together as she watched him run, looking behind himself in terror, his black jacket flying open as he almost stumbled over his own quick feet. Her eyes remained glued to his figure, following him until he was out of view. She pouted her lips gently in concentration.</p><p><br/>The next thing Yoohyeon knew, she was on the floor, a substantial weight atop of her.<br/>A rough huff escaped her lips, all air leaving her lungs in an instant upon losing breath, her back colliding with the harsh impact of the concrete flooring. Her headphones, the turquoise pair that had been a birthday gift from her grandparents, flew from her ears, music sliding away from her senses as a vicious growling sound entered instead. Her heart pounded in her chest, her phone and her headphones gliding dangerously across the floor, close to the train tracks.<br/>She yelled slightly as her instincts kicked in, turning frantically to restrain the skinny rabid-looking man that was lying on top of her and struggling greatly against her delicate body, his jaw snapping wildly in the direction of her face. She grimaced, her hands instinctively gripping his neck as she pushed him as forcefully as she could, away from her. Sounds of struggle and fear escaped her throat, nothing comprehensible. The pulsating of her heart was overbearing in her ears, her strained breathing making an appearance after a few long seconds of wrestling.“G-get of-off me.” She quickly panicked, her hands trembling with the unexpected surge of adrenaline. She attempted to kick against the man’s body but nothing seemed to faze him, to cause him any pain.<br/>She heard it, the sound of a train approaching the station. Finally. It slowed, until it remained static, teasing Yoohyeon inches to her left. It was watching her menacingly, time ticking down on an invisible clock. No one seemed to leave the transport, no one seemed to board either.<br/>Hopelessly, Yoohyeon’s head whipped to the left, eyes instantly pointing to the window, landing on a blonde girl occupying a window seat. The girl unwillingly found her gaze, locking eyes for a moment before looking away. However Yoohyeon must’ve looked helpless, desperate even because the girl quickly flicked her attention back, her face shifting from heartbreak to shock in a split second. Her eyes were wide.<br/>She blinked. The blonde girl was no longer in her seat and the train was moving again…</p><p>7:59am. Another station. The train slowed down, gradually at first until it stopped. There were many groans of protest, of confusion. Why were they stopping after what they had just witnessed? It was evidently not safe outside. Bora’s bloodshot eyes left the unblinking spell they had fallen under and looked out onto the platform. There was a bench, identical to the one that herself and Minji had occupied together no longer than a few painful minutes ago. She swallowed down the agonising lump in her throat. Her attention was drawn to what was happening upon the floor, seemingly below the bench in the frame of her eyesight.<br/>There was one of those things hovering over Minji. She looked away quickly at the memory. Wait. <em>What</em>?</p><p><br/>Her eyes diverted once more, locking harshly with the raven haired girl who was on the platform floor being attacked. <em>Minji</em>?! Were her eyes deceiving her right now? Both girls’ eyes were fixated upon one another's, a pleading expression upon the taller girl's face from outside as the man on top of her attempted to snap close to her skin. She squirmed under his grip, momentarily squeezing her eyes shut. Everything moved in slow motion once again. Deja vu. That was Bora’s signal. This was a sign.<br/>She leaped to her feet, a fire alighting within her chest all of a sudden, like a spark of hope. Barging through the small crowd that remained at the automatic doors, seeming to guard them, she repeatedly tapped the ‘open’ button, impatiently waiting for the white light to turn green in anticipation. She held oxygen in her lungs, whispering a quiet “come on,” over and over under her breath with each rapid tap of the button. A singular sweatbead formed on her forehead, trickling down her cold skin until it was soaked up in her eyebrow. Time was precious. There were drastic hollers of protest, people screaming at her to step away from the doors but too scared to act upon their words, telling her that she was “fucking crazy” for what she was doing.</p><p><br/>Bora seemed to block them out, impulse driving her actions, her heart rather her head. The doors finally opened, only for a small window but Bora managed to squeeze through the centre of them, leaping from the carriage and onto the platform without a second thought crossing her mind. She heard the ravenous, animalistic groans already nearing her position from behind, there were more zombies about to catch up to the girl on the floor.<br/>Her dance shoes were hot on the concrete, her legs immediately flinching into gear as soon as she hit the platform. The train began to set off again, starting its engine almost hesitant before in full swing once again, exiting the scene just as quickly as it had entered, this time leaving two more innocent lives at risk.<br/>Bora ran alongside the transport, ahead of the zombies that chased her, bravely nearing the defenseless girl on the floor. Her black converse was the only part of her that was on display from Bora’s perspective. Shit.<br/>She reached the girl and the zombie snapping its jaw aimlessly in her direction. Without processing anything at all, Bora launched her body into the man’s, knocking the figure off the girl with a small groan. The skinny man tumbled to the floor, scratching the raven haired girl’s stomach in the process with his strangely sharp nails but the struggle was no longer, the girl could breathe, could move.<br/>Yoohyeon released a panicked breath, head shooting down to where the small girl was standing over her, her eyes also wide in horror. Then Bora’s hand was in front of Yoohyeon, the look upon her face desperate. The younger one didn’t hesitate to grip the stranger's hand, they held tight to one another, their fingers clinging to each other as though their lives depended on it. Well… they did.<br/>Yoohyeon was pulled to her feet, her knees almost buckling instantaneously as she spotted the herd of creatures running towards them from behind Bora. What the fuck was happening? This was a dream- a nightmare.</p><p><br/>As the skinny zombie inhumanly regained balance, Bora gasped and pulled the girl swiftly, running away from the oncoming crowd. It took a moment for Yoohyeon’s legs to work, she had been frozen in terror to the spot. However, the next thing they knew, the pair of strangers were running hand in hand, no train in sight, no other living human around for miles. Only those <em>monsters</em>. They ran, and ran and ran until they could no longer feel their bodies, leaving everything behind them.</p><p><br/>“Here.” Bora’s voice was barely audible as they reached a public bathroom. It was a small door in the wall - almost unrecognisable but the blonde girl had sensed an opportunity and decided to take it, they were already rapidly becoming exhausted. Yoohyeon’s eyes darted over the rundown door, momentarily releasing Bora’s hand to grip the handle and inspect the lock. It wouldn’t budge. She pulled it, shaking the handle desperately and wincing in agitation as she did so. The wood trembled, crashing against the frame but remaining firmly closed. Their hearts skipped a few beats. It wasn’t working and the crowd was nearing them, almost falling over their own speedy legs with each stride. Fuck.<br/>Yoohyeon gulped, her palms beginning to sweat as she pulled harder on the door, attention constantly diverted elsewhere.<br/>Bora, fear rising again in her senses, assisted, her nimble fingers moving to the circular shaped lock beneath the handle as she tried to turn it. The girls grunted, groaned and winced as they shook the door, working their hardest to get the thing opened. In approximately seven seconds, the zombies would be on top of them.<br/>7...6...<br/>Bora closed her eyes and desperately dug her other hand into the gap between the door, trapping her fingers as she bent them around the frame.<br/>5...4...<br/>No doubt her fingertips were bleeding but she fought through the pain, working the door as Yoohyeon pulled hard. A frustrated tear left the smaller one's eye, a helpless whine leaving her lips.<br/>3...2...<br/><em><span class="u">Click</span></em>. The door unlocked, flying open all of a sudden, almost knocking both girls straight off balance. Yoohyeon grabbed Bora as she swiftly spun her way inside the bathroom, Bora latching onto the door in a single second to close it firmly behind the pair of them.<br/>1…<br/>Groans and growls flooded their ears as many bodies pounded against the wooden door just as it shut firmly. They were safe for now. And just in time.</p><p><br/>It was a tiny bathroom, one toilet in the stall, a sink to the left and both girls were unwillingly pressed up against each other. Not that either of them seemed to take much notice, their brains were swarming with other issues. They were trembling, their breathing in sync as their chests rose and fell simultaneously; the only thing different was their height. Bora looked up, her saddened eyes scanning over the girl's face. Of course it wasn’t Minji. She’d known that all along. It had been an illusion in the train, a vision of a kind.<br/>Yet there was something so striking about this girl; her features strongly resembled those of her best friend. Especially her hair. Her heart dropped.<br/>All of a sudden Yoohyeon felt small hands grab her waist, bundling up her clothing, before a head buried itself into her chest. The blonde girl began to cry shamelessly, an evident sob leaving her as she held onto the taller one so hard that her knuckles turned white. Yoohyeon froze, an unforeseen lump forming in her thin throat.<br/>“She never knew.” Bora’s voice broke, the vibrations of her speech travelling up to Yoohyeon’s chest. The raven head was trembling on the spot, unsure exactly what to do or say. She didn’t know what was going on right now, her mind had too much to process at once.<br/>“W-wh,” her dry lips barely touched, her eyes unblinking upon the smaller one clinging to her, “wha-” she was barely heard.<br/>“She died thinking I didn’t feel the same way about her.”</p><p><br/>Yoohyeon didn’t understand the message but she felt the emotion, the heartbreak in the smaller one’s sentence. It made tears form in her own brown eyes, fogging her vision as she, too, began to cry. Lightly at first, then uncontrollably. It had been a delayed reaction, all of the emotion pouring from the taller one, her quivering fingers gently finding blonde hair as she held the girl tight against her.<br/>She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to wake up in bed beside Siyeon, beside her best friend, all of this chaos being some form of illusion, some bad dream. But the way her heart was pounding, the way the animalistic groans from the creatures outside continued, the way the darkness was still lingering with her eyes closed, told her that this was indeed a reality, her reality. She gulped dryly, her hand tightening protectively in the girls hair.<br/>“Y-you,” she sniffed, “I think you saved my life.”</p><p>The bright screen of Yoohyeon’s phone lit up as it rested, abandoned on the train platform, amongst a swarm of zombies. Her music was still playing quietly through her headphones, the audio minimal to those around it. A new song played.<br/><strong><em>Now playing: Always Forever - Cults.</em></strong> The display screen continuously flashed with alerts, missed calls and messages. From Siyeon.</p><p><br/>(8:19) Siyeon:<br/>Not to alarm you or anything but I think there’s someone in my house?</p><p>(8:19) Siyeon:<br/>...I can hear them rooting through the cupboards downstairs.</p><p>(8:21) Siyeon:<br/>Shit yooh, are you getting these news flashes too? These alerts?</p><p>(8:22) Missed call from Siyeon.</p><p>(8:23) Missed call from Siyeon.</p><p>(8:25) Siyeon:<br/>Please answer. I’m scared yooh.</p><p>(8:25) Siyeon:<br/>I’m hiding in bed. I can hear groaning outside of my room. What’s happening?</p><p>(8:27) Missed call from Siyeon.</p><p>....</p><p>(8:29) Siyeon:<br/>I love you.</p><p>A solid shoe suddenly crushed the phone beneath it; a rough, unforgiving shoe, careless in its footing.<br/><em>‘You and me, always forev-’</em><br/>The upbeat melody cut off, the faint tune that had been playing from the turquoise headphones dying immediately. The phone screen turned black, cracked and shattered when released from the boot.</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Six months later:</em> </strong>
</p><p>Bora briefly turned around at the top of the stairs, her eyes focused on Yoohyeon who followed closely behind, the younger ones attention trained upon the ground as she reluctantly dragged her boots along the hardened wood of the staircase. She was exhausted, they both were but Yoohyeon looked worse today than previous days. Her shoulders were tense, she felt clumsier than ever on her feet and her eyes were sunken in her head - an outward sign of her lack of sleep. She seemed to have lost weight too recently, her waist thinner under her baggy t-shirt.<br/>“Hopefully we can rest.” The blonde girl sighed, her heart aching for the other as she observed her. Yoohyeon reached her side, nodding weakly but managing a small smile nonetheless. The oldest placed one arm cautiously against the foreign bedroom door, momentarily pressing her ear to the surface to detect anything concerning. It was silent. A good sign.</p><p><br/>Gripping the sharp blade that was tucked into her right boot, she stalked her way into the room, Yoohyeon clenching her screwdriver between one tight knuckle behind the smaller one. As their eyes were introduced to the room, the pastel pink walls gracing their vision, a sense of relief washed through them, their weapons slowly lowering.<br/>“Well shit.” Yoohyeon released a hushed breath, her shoulders drooping slightly as she examined the room. Bora’s hand trembled as the knife returned safely to her boot. The room was quite spacious, the walls decorated with pictures of animals, personal photographs from the girl that lived here and travel imagery, amongst the otherwise pink palette. There was a small, single bed pushed up against the far corner of the room, the sheets nicely made as though they had been waiting for the girls’ arrival.</p><p><br/>There was a window close to the bed, the curtains pulled over the glass, a slight gap of dim light shining through the very top where there was an absence of cover. It felt eerie, entering someone else's bedroom to stay the night but this was necessary, the girls needed to rest and recuperate. They hadn’t had a proper sleep in such a long time. Many days… maybe even a month in whole. Their sleeping patterns were broken, uncertain each day. The majority of the time they shared shifts of watching over one another. Bora had been the last one to rest for a few hours, which meant that Yoohyeon hadn’t slept properly for over 26 hours but it was routine, times were difficult.<br/>Yoohyeon’s legs felt heavy, aching as she advanced further into the room, heading in the direction of the bed. At the same time, Bora closed the door behind them, ensuring they were locked in securely before gravitating instinctively towards the singular window in the room. She examined the latches upon the pane, testing how expandable they were in case of an emergency. They seemed to be fully detachable, that was good. She could relax a little.</p><p><br/>The younger girl positioned herself on the edge of the bed, instantly removing her boots that stretched up to her ankles and allowed her feet to breathe. She exhaled deeply with the removal, her feet were throbbing from their constant movement. While Yoohyeon settled on the edge of the comfortable mattress, Bora made her way over to the opened en-suite that was conjoined to the room, one eyebrow raised as she entered the darker area. There was a sink, a mirror above and a toilet. A simple arrangement but one that brought an unconscious smile to the small ones lips. Her eyes spotted a white tube resting against the edge of the sink and they sparkled upon the discovery.<br/>“Hey Yoohyeon!” She called the girl from inside the other room. Yoohyeon hummed curiously in reply, momentarily stopping what she was doing to pay attention. Her gaze flickered to the dark door frame, watching as Bora reappeared holding a thick tube in her tiny hand. She was smiling, a rare sight nowadays.<br/>“Toothpaste.” She wiggled her eyebrows, skipping quickly towards the taller one. “Now we don’t have to stick to only using water.” Her lips curled upwards as the younger one reciprocated the gesture, although her eyes were weary. She dropped her boot to the floor and raised a singular finger towards Bora, holding it out expectantly. Bora giggled before squeezing out a tiny amount of white mint onto her skin. The girl plopped her finger into her mouth and began to ‘brush’ her teeth, enjoying the freshness that filled her deprived senses. Bora copied the other and did the same, humming in satisfaction at the pleasurable yet mundane feeling.</p><p><br/>The blonde girl tossed the tube into her backpack that had been set down beside the bed before spitting out the excess toothpaste into the sink in the small bathroom.<br/>“I swallowed mine.” Yoohyeon announced quietly once the girl reemerged again.<br/>“You animal.” Their eyes locked when Bora gasped. Her joke earned a chuckle from the youngest.<br/>“I’m just hungry,” Yoohyeon nodded, “and it was quite fulfilling actually.”<br/>Bora watched wordlessly for a moment as Yoohyeon lifted her grey t-shirt from her stomach, over her head, revealing her toned stomach and black bra. The girls were familiar with seeing each other by now, it wasn’t uncomfortable or weird anymore being so… exposed in front of one another. In fact it was quite the opposite, it was comfortable. A lot of the time, both girls would sleep in minimal clothing on their sleeping shifts, it was more pleasant especially since they were limited with other outfits to wear daily. It was the most hygenic option too.<br/>Yoohyeon noticed Bora’s eyes upon her and their gazes locked once more.</p><p><br/>“I’m sorry about earlier.” Her voice was quiet, “I was way too careless.”<br/>Almost immediately, Bora shook her head.<br/>“It wasn’t your fault.”<br/>“I almost got you killed i-”<br/>Bora perched herself upon the bed next to Yoohyeon, a hand upon her lap silencing the girl’s dangerous thoughts.<br/>“But you didn’t.”<br/>Yoohyeon looked down at the girl’s hand before she returned to her eyes. Her own were now slightly glassy.<br/>“If I hadn't fallen, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.” She admitted, vulnerable.<br/>“Don’t be silly, shit happens,” Bora laughed lightly, in an attempt to ease the situation, “besides, I had bruises in dance class <em>way</em> worse than this scratch.” She reassured the younger one who didn’t seem convinced. Yoohyeon pouted, her cold fingers finding the hem of Bora’s jacket and t-shirt.</p><p><br/>“Can I see it?” She asked nervously, already gently lifting up the girl's clothing. Bora allowed her to do so, nodding genuinely. The truth being, she had almost forgotten about the scratch from earlier this morning. Of course when the nail had dung into her skin initially it had been excruciatingly painful however now, it was just a second thought. It wasn’t that bad.<br/>Yoohyeon revealed Bora’s delicate stomach, carefully pushing the light material upwards until the wound against her ribs was unveiled. It was a crimson gash down the side of her ribcage, areas around the cut already bruising into a deep purple shade. It was no longer weeping, crusty instead in some areas where the blood had dried by itself. It looked bad, contrary to Bora’s optimism.</p><p><br/>“I’m so sorry.” Yoohyeon gently ghosted her fingers down the girl's ribs, missing the wound itself but instead focusing on her skin, almost bringing out goosebumps all over the smaller one.<br/>“No baby, I said it’s fine.” Bora’s voice was dripping in sincerity, gentle like honey. She tucked a strand of stray hair behind Yoohyeon’s earlobe, her touch lingering before her hand latched onto her warm cheek. Yoohyeon closed her eyes for a moment, gratefully leaning into the touch like a puppy.<br/>When her eyes opened again, Bora noted <em>just</em> how tired she appeared. Damn, she almost looked broken. She needed rest, and as much as possible too.<br/>With that, Bora stood up from the edge of the mattress, moving to exit the room when Yoohyeon frowned.<br/>“Where are you going?” Her small voice pondered.<br/>“To keep guard while you sleep.” She only slightly turned her head over her shoulder to reply.<br/>“Bora…” Yoohyeon whispered, “this might be the safest place we find for a long time. We should both rest while we have the chance.”<br/>The blonde girl halted, debating the girl's words.<br/>“But-”<br/>“Don’t be stubborn,” The raven head chuckled half-heartedly. Bora tensed at the familiar statement.<br/>“We need to sleep. Both of us. You only had about two hours last time.”</p><p><br/>The smaller one turned again towards Yoohyeon, silence engulfing the room.<br/>“Please?” Yoohyeon held eye contact, “I’d like it if you lay with me.” She pushed herself up the bed, only her bra and pants covering the rest of her skin as she slowly threw the covers from the mattress, bundling inside but leaving one side clear if the older one wanted to join her.<br/>There was a moment’s hesitation as Bora contemplated the invite but before she knew it, she was walking back to the bed. She carefully took a seat, legs up on the bed after removing her footwear, parallel with Yoohyeon’s figure.<br/>“I’ll sit with you until you sleep.”<br/>The sleepy and slightly raspy tone that Yoohyeon used next took the older one by surprise, making her stomach flip yet her heart flutter unconsciously. “Bora.” She whined.<br/>Eye contact again.</p><p><br/>“Fine.” She huffed lightly, tentative as she removed the black jacket from around her shoulders and placed it protectively under their shared pillow, but on her side. Yoohyeon had noticed how careful Bora always seemed to be with that jacket, it was obviously very special to her and the younger one knew why. She’d heard the story about Minji. Briefly but… there were many occasions where Bora would name drop, without even realising. It was … sad.<br/>As Bora moved on the mattress, she only then noticed just how small the bed actually was. She was practically pressed up against Yoohyeon. She flinched a little, clearing her throat. It was never awkward between them, so why did she feel slightly flustered right now of all times?<br/>Lowering herself into the soft mattress, she tried to contain the small gap running between them but Yoohyeon’s gentle hand upon her hip combined with her next statement persuaded Bora to approach things differently.<br/>“Face me.” The youngest stated softly.</p><p><br/>Their faces were close, almost too close, but Bora’s growing nerves steadied when she looked into warm chocolate eyes. Yoohyeon was breathing slow, her chest rising and falling calmly. It somehow immediately evaporated all of Bora’s troubling thoughts, her need to keep watch, her inability to sleep, every issue gone after admiring the other girls' features.<br/>Yoohyeon raised a slow hand, one that unhurriedly caressed Bora’s cheek, stopping short when it reached her neck. The blonde blushed faintly under the feeble lighting when the hand silently travelled towards the hem of her t-shirt. Without a single word, Yoohyeon pulled up Bora’s t-shirt, past her stomach, past her chest until it was over the girls head and arms. She threw the material to one side and smiled, a sleepy grin. Her fingers traced aimless patterns into her soft skin, careful down the side of her body, stomach and back until they stopped at her waist, delicately holding her.<br/>Bora could feel her heart beating louder but this time it wasn’t fear induced, this situation was intense for a different reason.</p><p><br/>“I think I’d be dead without you.” Yoohyeon admitted slowly, the statement carrying a great significance, emotion intertwined between each word.<br/>“I don’t wanna think about that.” Bora attempted to hush the younger one who’s thumb was rubbing circles into her exposed skin.<br/>Yoohyeon nodded against the pillow, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment. She hummed, “sorry.”<br/>When her eyes opened again, she was met with Bora’s own admiring her features, attention trained on her parted lips. She shuffled her head closer to Yoohyeon’s, before her small hand found the girl's cheek and she was raising her lips to kiss the taller one on the forehead. It was sincere, a warm smile colouring the raven haired girls lips, matching the consequential swelling in her heart. She tucked her head into her chest to hide the blush upon her cheeks. She chuckled cutely once, not allowing the small one to shuffle back from her position as she pulled her close by her waist.</p><p><br/>“Bora?” She hummed, “this might sound kinda weird but…” She ensured that there was eye contact, “I want to feel your skin against mine.”<br/>The small one seemed to understand the feeling, the craving almost, in an instant as she retaliated with a question. “Close?”<br/>Yoohyeon nodded.<br/>“That’s not weird, baby.” Bora whispered, her eyes landing on Yoohyeon’s lips again, “I understand the feeling.”<br/>As though a mutual agreement between the pair, Yoohyeon removed her hand from around Bora’s waist and momentarily lay on her back. Her fingers moved to unbutton her uncomfortable pants at her hips before she arched her back to remove them from her nimble body. She finished the process by kicking them off her legs with her feet, laughing lightly at her small struggle.</p><p><br/>“Will you take mine off too?’ Bora asked quietly, “I’m too lazy.”<br/>Yoohyeon scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully but finding Bora’s sweatpants with both hands under the sheets. She gently tucked her fingers into the flexible waistband, cold fingertips meeting bare skin as she pulled them down the girl’s legs.<br/>“You’re lucky you’re so small.” Her voice rasped.<br/>The material was gone in an instant, Yoohyeon not having to strain herself much at all due to the way Bora held out her legs in front of her. She tossed the pants to one side and laughed gently.</p><p><br/>“Now come here.” She whined, gripping Bora’s waist with two hands and breaking any boundaries the pair had previously enforced by pulling her close. The blonde girl’s head rested against Yoohyeon’s chest as one hand instinctively reached under the shared pillow, and the other held the side of her neck, caressing it tenderly. Yoohyeon’s left hand found blonde hair, the right draped around the older one's midsection, and she let out a shaky exhale as their legs unconsciously intertwined.<br/>Already, Bora felt a wave of exhaustion flood her senses, the way Yoohyeon was holding her made her feel protected, safe for once in this fucked up new world that they lived in.<br/>The smaller one mewled softly in content as Yoohyeon returned the gesture from beforehand, brushing the girl’s hair away from her forehead and kissing it timidly. They were relaxed, for the first time in six months they were actually at peace. Seemingly nothing to worry about, just embracing one another in such an intimate yet homely manner.<br/>They both fell asleep, untroubled in each other's arms.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>4 years later:</em> </strong>
</p><p><br/>“Fuck.” Bora cursed loudly, “there’s too many!” She made the obvious apparent. The huge doors were slammed shut to the abandoned college, momentarily slowing down the rabid crowd of zombies but it wouldn’t be for long, the girls knew that. Yoohyeon was tightly holding hands with a little girl, Stella. The pair had rescued the child just over a year ago from a terrible accident involving her, her family and a bunch of zombies. Only she had made it out alive and unharmed, a miracle when the two girls had stumbled upon her.</p><p>Ever since that day, the both of them had been looking after her and swore to themselves that they would take care of her. Miraculously, a few days ago, the three girls had been sheltering in a rundown church when a strained, crackly voice rang out to them. A voice on a radio. A radio had been strangely resting upon the altar at the front, as though it had been meticulously placed for the announcement it projected to reach fellow survivors.<br/>It had mentioned vaguely about a safe camp a few miles north, the coordinates memorised by the two older girls. And right now, that’s where they were currently heading when they suddenly got swarmed by a herd of hungry zombies. A college building seemed the safest option at this moment, they weren’t out in the open, they weren’t aimlessly running, perhaps they could lose the majority of them in such a common labyrinth.</p><p><br/>“The stairs!” Bora pointed down the lengthy corridor a few metres ahead, a musty beige staircase stretching up to another floor. The doors burst open, blood-thirsty zombies beginning to pile into the building, atop of each other as they scrambled towards their victims. Shit. They shouldn’t have stalled, now the creatures were right on their tail. The girls were running once more, collectively breaking out into a sprint as soon as they had jumped at the interruption, Yoohyeon and Stella ahead, no hesitation in their minds. It felt like a marathon as they neared the staircase, yet they moved in a flash. Yoohyeon’s gloved hand reached for the red banister beside her, her other hand tightening around Stella’s miniature one as she pulled her up the steps as quickly as she ran. “C’mon.” Yoohyeon caught her breath, whispering to the small child beside her.</p><p><br/>Bora wished she had a handheld gun at this point, so she could kill some of these bastards and put some more space between them but no, it was a race.<br/>She neared the steps, ascending up them quickly, catching up to the other girls who were already half-way up. Suddenly, Stella missed her footing, pulling Yoohyeon down a step as she tripped, falling onto her free arm. Her wrist twisted in an awkward place and she winced, tears rapidly forming in her blue eyes.</p><p><br/>Panic rose in Bora as she seemed to throw herself into Stella, immediately finding her fragile body and whisking the girl up from the ground with minimal effort.<br/>“We have to keep going, darling.” Bora patted the little girl’s curly hair quickly as she nodded weakly. Yoohyeon gulped anxiously, her worried eyes briefly meeting Bora’s before she dragged Stella up the stairs once more. There was no time to waste; tough love right now. The blonde girl was about to follow when a harsh hand upon her ankle locked her in place.</p><p><br/>Everything slowed, her heart thumping in her throat as she peered over her shoulder. One of them had latched onto her ankle, teeth driving forwards, closer to her foot. For some reason, the girl hesitated, as if all she could do was watch, as though she wasn’t in control of her actions. However, as the zombies teeth aggressively sunk down upon her boot, her brain fully kicked into gear again. Every sense came rushing back to her in an instant, her breathing loud in her own ears as she propelled her foot backwards before mercilessly slamming it into the creature's jaw. The kick was so powerful it sent a crack echoing through the hollow building, blood hurling from the zombies mouth as it helplessly fell backwards down the flight of stairs, tumbling and knocking many others down with it. A shaky breath, an uncertain exhale left her lips. But next thing she knew, she was at the top of the staircase, close to the two other girls again.</p><p><br/>“We’re trapped.” Sweat trickled from Yoohyeon’s forehead, her chest retracting heavily with her fearful statement. They didn’t have time to think.<br/>Bora hummed. Her frantic eyes darting around the long corridor as the disturbing groans neared their position once more. Constant.<br/>“A classroom.” The small one suggested. The chaos never stopped, their nerves always the forefront of their attention, driving their actions.<br/>Yoohyeon took the initiative, her eyes locking on the first of many zombies that had followed them onto the first floor. She guided Stella quickly into the nearest classroom, the girl lightly sobbing due to her accident. Bora hurried in with them, slamming the door behind them, pressing her body against it as the creatures began to strike the surface. Her face distorted as she struggled to hold her weight against the frame.</p><p><br/>“Yooh,” she groaned as a heavier zombie must’ve pressed up against the door, “push that desk over here.” She nodded in the direction of the large furniture. Instantly, the younger one did as she was told and began to push the structure, although straining her muscles to do so. She squeezed her eyes closed, Bora’s fatigued struggling noises motivating her harder to get the desk in front of the entrance. With one final huff she pushed the desk just over the door frame, acting as a heavy doorstop. Bora exhaled dramatically, the sound croaky as she dropped to the ground, her body aching, drained. She swatted at the layer of cold sweat that had formed upon her forehead with one trembling hand.</p><p><br/>“Fuck.” She cursed, her head throbbing all of a sudden.<br/>“My hand hurts.” Stella pouted, tears still pouring down her cheeks. Yoohyeon ran her own through her bangs, pushing the strands back against the moisture around her skin. She gulped, eyes darting between Bora and Stella. Bora looked… small. Defeated as she tucked her head into her chest, tiny arms hugging her knees close to her chest.<br/>Yoohyeon moved to Stella, holding the girl's cheeks between her two anxious hands. “I promise we’ll sort it out when we get to safety, okay?” Their eyes locked and the small child nodded reluctantly. She wasn’t stupid, she’d grown up in an apocalyptic world, things couldn’t be done whenever they were required. She’d have to wait, even though the pain was excruciating through her entire arm. She sniffed, attempting to suck back up her tears. Finally, she nodded weakly. Yoohyeon sighed, affliction flooding her heart.<br/>“Good girl.” She patted the younger one's head. “Now we need to stay focused, we have to find an exit.” She tried to preoccupy her mind by keeping it active on something other than those murderous creatures behind the door.</p><p><br/>To the left of the room there was another door, leading to another classroom that was joined onto this one, and another door to the left of that one… the classrooms all seemed to be conjoined. This was good. This was very good. They could make their way through each classroom, exiting into the hallway on the far side where they would have a great opportunity to escape. And if the herd managed to spot them again, at least they’d have a head start over them. A tinge of hope sparked in Yoohyeon’s eyes as she turned back to the girls, a slight outline of a smile gracing her lips.<br/>“We can escape, there’s a door just-” Yoohyeon’s smile dropped as her eyes landed on the older girl. “Bora…” she whispered, “are you okay?”</p><p>
  <strong>***</strong>
</p><p>The girl’s eyes were filled with tears, the back of her head now pushed up against the dirty wall behind her. She tried to swallow down the lump that stung her throat but it was unmoving. She couldn’t make eye contact as she squeezed her eyes closed, a singular droplet escaping from the corner, falling in slow motion over her pale cheek.<br/>“We’re g-gonna be fine. We can get a head start over them, and we run from the h-hallway. We run and we don’t stop running. Like we always do, okay? We’re gonna be fin-”<br/>“I was bitten.”</p><p><br/>Yoohyeon audibly choked on her words, her knees almost buckling under themselves as her heart sank to her stomach.<br/>What? No. That wasn’t true.<br/>“W-w-what?” She shook her head, tears brimming in eyes as Stella instinctively held onto her leg, “n-no. No.” She tried to convince herself that it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true. This couldn’t be happening.<br/>Bora rose to her feet, quivering as her fingers upturned the hem of her sweatpants, revealing the evident and fresh wound. It was subtle, the majority of the zombies teeth having sunk into her boot, only the two front ones seemingly digging into her skin. But nonetheless… it was a bite and suddenly, something became inevitable.</p><p><br/>“No.” A tear fell from Yoohyeon’s eyes as she squeezed them closed, she didn’t want to believe this right now. Her heart matched with the beating of the creature’s hands upon the door.<br/>Bora felt her chest tighten, “one of the bastards got me.” She chuckled sadly.<br/>“No!” Yoohyeon was crying now, backing away from the girl and drastically shaking her head. “No I- we made a promise.” Her voice cracked through her tears. Bora swallowed weakly at the devastating sound.<br/>“We made a promise Bora, <em>please</em>.” She was broken already, “don’t do this to me.”<br/>“There’s nothing I can do.” Bora dropped her gaze. They both knew this.</p><p><br/>“W-we can get you to the camp, i-it’ll be safe there a-and they can help.” Yoohyeon suggested suddenly, her desperation prominent through her words.<br/>Bora shook her head slowly. “Don’t be silly.” Her voice was gentle despite the situation, “we both know that won’t happen.”<br/>“But we can try.” Yoohyeon searched for a spark of hope in Bora’s chocolate eyes but found none. They were almost empty, dejected. “Please?”<br/>The small one shook her head again.<br/>“I’m sorry.” She whispered, “I have to stay here.”<br/>The groans from outside of the door began to crescendo, the pounding much louder, almost overwhelming. Yoohyeon’s body felt numb, the pain in her chest unshakeable however.<br/>“No.” She repeated, “Not like this… please don’t leave me Bora.”<br/>Her voice caused a sudden sob to leave Bora’s lips, more tears falling from her eyes as she wiped them away in the crevice of her elbow.</p><p><br/>“Don’t go.” Stella sounded just as miserable as Yoohyeon and all of a sudden, everything began to shatter. They were supposed to grow old together, supposed to see the end of this virus together, they promised they wouldn’t leave each other’s side.<br/>“I’m not leaving. I’d never leave you.” Bora was crying now, and hard, “I’ll always be in your hearts okay?” She paused to swallow dryly, “and you know when you look up in the sky and you see a shining star?” She bent to Stella’s height, “that’ll be me looking down on the both of you, i’ll be guiding you. Like I never left.”<br/>Yoohyeon clenched her jaw, her eyes closed as she continued to shake her head, emotion pouring from her.<br/>The zombies managed to punch through the door, a singular fist breaking through at the centre.<br/>Bora rose to her full height, sniffing hard as she whipped her head in the direction of the door.</p><p><br/>“You need to leave, now.”<br/>“I can’t.” Yoohyeon struggled to breathe.<br/>“You have to. You have to take care of Stella.” She responded, “I can act as a distraction to buy you some time but I need you to run.”<br/>“Don’t stop running.” Yoohyeon whispered under her breath, it was something the two of them always repeated to each other ever since their first meeting at the train station, when they had managed to escape from the small bathroom stall together.<br/>“Exactly.” Bora confirmed, fragile, “you run and you don’t dare look back.”<br/>Finally, as if Yoohyeon just managed to process the situation she nodded sadly.</p><p><br/>“I want you to have this.” Bora mumbled, removing the black jacket from around her shoulders and passing it to the other girl with unsure fingers. Yoohyeon’s lips trembled when Bora released her grip upon it. Not this jacket, the jacket that Bora treasured oh so dearly. Her stomach dropped again, this was too much to handle.<br/>A chill captivated the small one's body without the comfort of Minji’s jacket, goosebumps already instantly forming upon her forearms due to its absence.<br/>Yoohyeon’s knuckles turned white, her grip hard upon the warm material.</p><p><br/>Bora limped over to the door, her ankle throbbing all of a sudden, so much so that she winced in agony.<br/>“What are the coordinates Yoohyeon?”<br/>Yoohyeon swallowed down more tears.<br/>Bora’s eyes were brimming with emotion, “Tell me what they are.”<br/>Her speech was shaky, sharp intakes of breath interrupting her speech. “E-eighteen m-miles North, f-five West.”<br/>Bora nodded proudly. “Good girl.” She sniffed again, “you ready?” She averted her glassy eyes from the door, over to Yoohyeon whose face was utterly distraught.<br/>“No.” She chuckled, broken-hearted.</p><p><br/>Bora’s vision became blurry as she neared the desk, positioning herself against it, ready to remove their safety net. Yoohyeon’s heart thumped against her ribcage, her brain slowly being crushed by her cranium.<br/>The tall girl bent down to pick up the crying child beside her, holding her tight against her hip.<br/>“Yoohyeon.” Bora swallowed painfully, their eyes locking one final time. “I love you.”<br/>The younger one broke down again, shaking her head in devastation.<br/>“I love you so much.”<br/>Bora smiled through her tears, dropping her gaze onto the desk in front of her.<br/>“Now go.”</p><p><br/>Just like that, the safety net was gone and so was Yoohyeon.</p><p><br/>“<em><span class="u">Bo</span><span class="u">ra</span>!</em>” Stella screamed in agony as Yoohyeon ran. The raven head could barely see where she was heading, her vision extremely unclear, her hand buried protectively into Stella’s hair. Behind her, she heard the door in which she and Stella had left through slam shut, the rabid growls of the zombies filling the area where Bora occupied.<br/>A pained sound left her brittle throat. But she didn’t stop running. She carried on.</p><p><br/>The safety net was gone and so was Yoohyeon.</p><p><br/>Bora pushed the desk away with all of her remaining strength, momentarily using her back against the surface to stop the zombies from entering. She avoided the hand that attempted to grab her, sniffling uncontrollably as she reached her cold fingers into her sweatpants pockets. They brushed against something dry and she instantly clutched the material before pulling it out in front of her. Her frantic fingers unravelled the damaged piece of paper, her eyes instinctively welling up once again.</p><p><br/>The receipt was faded by now, the drawing itself almost completely vanished too but Bora could still make out each stroke of the pen, the clear image of herself. She filled her chest with oxygen, bravely stepping away from the door as she swiftly moved to close the other. The zombies piled effortlessly into the room but Bora had her eyes squeezed shut, holding the scrap piece of paper tightly to her heart.<br/>She released a final shaky breath, an almost liberating one.</p><p><br/>“I'll see you soon."</p>
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